Residential
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May 31, 2024
Race Bias Suit Against Ga. Housing Authority Trimmed
A Georgia federal judge has narrowed the scope of a civil rights lawsuit filed by a woman who said she was denied a senior position with a local housing authority after leaders found out she'd sued her prior employer, tossing several claims Friday against the ex-chairman of the authority's board.
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May 31, 2024
Kirkland Guides Town Lane To $1.25B Debut Real Estate Fund
Kirkland & Ellis LLP advised the close of an inaugural, $1.25 billion fund for Town Lane, a real estate firm founded by a brother-sister duo with decades of combined experience at Blackstone and Sycamore Partners, according to a Friday news release.
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May 31, 2024
Colo. Justices Agree To Weigh In On Blackstone Lease Row
Colorado's high court agreed Wednesday to answer two key questions in a putative class action against Blackstone subsidiaries, after a federal judge said tenants' claims alleging the companies' lease agreements violate state law present novel legal issues with little case law to provide guidance.
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May 31, 2024
Former Miami City Atty Must Face Real Estate Fraud Suit
A former Miami city attorney can't escape a lawsuit that alleges she aided her husband in a real estate fraud scheme after a Florida state appeals court found the complaint had sufficient allegations to survive her sovereign immunity assertions.
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May 31, 2024
4th Circ. Won't Revive NC Homeowners' Storm Coverage Suit
The Fourth Circuit refused on Friday to revive a suit brought by the owners of a North Carolina beach house accusing certain underwriters at Lloyd's London of stalling a $1 million payout over hurricane damage.
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May 31, 2024
Judge Rejects Home Service Workers' Class Cert. Redo Bid
A Colorado federal judge once again refused to fully certify a putative class of home service professionals who accused HomeAdvisor Inc. and other parties of running a scheme where poor quality customer leads were generated and sold to home service professionals.
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May 31, 2024
NJ Judge Says Mortgage Lender's Counterclaim Falls Flat
A New Jersey federal judge tossed an unfair competition counterclaim brought by Nationwide Mortgage Bankers Inc. in a trade secrets suit by its rival Paramount Residential Mortgage Group, ruling that Nationwide Mortgage's counterclaim allegations do not actually count as unfair competition under Garden State law.
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May 30, 2024
CFPB To Probe 'Junk Fees' In Mortgage Closing Costs
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau said Thursday that it will scrutinize how "junk fees" may be making it more expensive to purchase a home, kicking off a broad inquiry that could presage a crackdown on rising mortgage closing costs.
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May 30, 2024
Real Estate Investor Beats Niece's Suit Over Fall At LA Home
Real estate investor and philanthropist Stanley Black can't be held liable for injuries suffered by his niece when she tripped and fell on the driveway of his Sunset Boulevard mansion, a California state appeals court has ruled, saying there's no evidence of defects on the driveway she walked on many times before.
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May 30, 2024
Colo. Creates Low-Income Housing Investment Tax Credit
Colorado will allow an income tax credit for investments in certain low-income housing projects and increase the amount of affordable housing tax credits it offers under a bill signed Thursday by Democratic Gov. Jared Polis.
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May 30, 2024
Mass. Foreclosure Law May Be Unconstitutional, Judge Says
A Massachusetts law blocking towns and cities from returning excess funds from foreclosure sales may be an unconstitutional taking, a federal judge has said.
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May 30, 2024
2 Firms Guide $84M Loan For Fla. Multifamily Project
Centennial Bank inked an $84.4 million loan for the joint venture behind a multifamily development in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, which secured local support with plans to reserve 10% of the units at workforce housing levels of affordability.
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May 30, 2024
Interest Rates Knock Pending Home Sales, NAR Says
Pending home sales in the U.S. declined by 7.4% in April year-over-year, and rising interest rates are to blame, the National Association of Realtors said May 30.
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May 30, 2024
Fried Frank, Kirkland Pilot $1.55B Multifamily Portfolio Deal
Brookfield, advised by Fried Frank Harris Shriver & Jacobson LLP, bought a $1.55 billion portfolio of U.S. multifamily properties from Starwood Capital Group, guided by Kirkland & Ellis LLP, in a recently closed deal, a spokesperson for Starwood confirmed this week.
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May 30, 2024
High Court Calls For 2nd Circ. Redo In BofA Preemption Fight
The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday threw out a Second Circuit decision that freed Bank of America NA from class action litigation brought over a New York escrow interest law, ruling that the circuit court wasn't "nuanced" enough in finding the law preempted for national banks.
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May 29, 2024
Judge Won't Ban Rent Law Tweak Amid Landlords' Suit
A New York federal court refused to issue a preliminary ruling blocking enforcement of a December amendment to the state's rent stabilization laws, saying the landlords who filed suit failed to show the changes violated either the Fourth or the 14th amendments.
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May 29, 2024
DACA Holder Accuses Fla. Credit Union Of Discrimination
A man with temporary immigration protections through the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program is accusing Florida's third-largest credit union of unlawfully denying him a home loan based on his immigration status, in a suit filed Wednesday in federal court.
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May 29, 2024
Fla. Gov. Signs Bill Requiring Greater HOA Transparency
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill on Wednesday that requires homeowners' associations to give physical or digital copies of their rules and covenants to members.
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May 29, 2024
Dream Finders Closes $412M Land Banking Deal After Buy
400 Capital Management LLC and affiliate Builder Capital said Wednesday that they have closed on a $412 million land banking deal with Dream Finders Homes to acquire more than 4,000 residential home sites in Nashville, Tennessee; Charleston, South Carolina; and Greenville, South Carolina.
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May 29, 2024
MicroEra Power Plots New Phase For Thermal Energy Storage
As buildings are increasingly powered by renewable energy, Rochester, New York-based MicroEra Power is working on a thermal storage solution that it says offers many advantages over current lithium batteries. Here's a look at this property technology company's vision, its progress so far and what its leaders see ahead.
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May 29, 2024
Nestle Purina Sued Over Foul Odors At Denver Plant
Two Colorado residents hit Nestle Purina PetCare Co. with a proposed class action in federal court Tuesday, saying the company's pet food manufacturing facility emits gag-inducing odors that have disrupted lives and reduced property values.
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May 29, 2024
Walker & Dunlop GC Departs As Deputy Fills Shoes For Now
The longtime top attorney for commercial real estate finance and advisory services firm Walker & Dunlop Inc. has left the company after nearly 14 years, and Walker & Dunlop's deputy general counsel is taking over in the interim.
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May 29, 2024
Ex-Freddie Mac Appraisal Chief Talks Bias And Sizing-Up Risk
As regulators tackle bias in single-family housing, Martin Skolnik, who served as chief appraiser for Freddie Mac multifamily for 13 years, suggests applying the same scrutiny to multifamily appraisals.
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May 29, 2024
Greenberg Traurig Gets 30-Year Tax Break From Saudi Arabia
Greenberg Traurig LLP is among the first law firms to get licensed as a regional headquarters, or RHQ, company in Saudi Arabia, allowing the firm to take advantage of a major tax break, the firm announced Tuesday.
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May 28, 2024
Goldman Family Battles Over Evidence In Property Biz Suit
Relatives of Jane Goldman, an heiress of Sol Goldman's New York City property empire, argued that a contract she has said establishes her authority over the family's real estate business is of "dubious origin."
Expert Analysis
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A Deep Dive Into High Court's Permit Fee Ruling
David Robinson and Daniel Golub at Holland & Knight explore the U.S. Supreme Court's recent ruling that a local traffic impact fee charged to a California property owner may be a Fifth Amendment taking — and where it leaves localities and real estate developers.
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The Case For Overturning Florida Foreclosure Ruling
A Florida appellate court's recent decision in Desbrunes v. U.S. Bank National Association will potentially put foreclosure cases across the state in jeopardy, and unless it is reconsidered, foreclosing plaintiffs will need to choose between frustrating and uncertain options in the new legal landscape, say Sara Accardi and Paige Knight at Bradley.
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Bracing For The CFPB's War On Mortgage Fees
As the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau homes in on the legality of certain residential mortgage fees, the industry should consult the bureau's steady stream of consumer lending guidance for hints on its priorities, say Nanci Weissgold and Melissa Malpass at Alston & Bird.
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DOJ Consent Orders Chart Road Map For Lending Compliance
Two recent consent orders issued by the U.S. Department of Justice as part of its efforts to fight mortgage lending discrimination highlight issues that pose fair lending compliance risks, and should be carefully studied by banks to avoid enforcement actions, says Memrie Fortenberry at Jones Walker.
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Reverse Veil-Piercing Ruling Will Help Judgment Creditors
A New York federal court’s recent decision in Citibank v. Aralpa Holdings, finding two corporate entities liable for a judgment issued against a Mexican businessman, shows the value of reverse veil piercing as a remedy for judgment creditors to go after sophisticated debtors who squirrel away assets, says Gabe Bluestone at Omni Bridgeway.
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Calif. Housing Overhaul May Increase Pressure On Landlords
Two recently enacted California laws signal new protections and legal benefits for tenants, but also elevate landlords' financial exposure at a time when they are already facing multiple other hardships, says Laya Dogmetchi at Much Shelist.
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New Proposal Signals Sharper Enforcement Focus At CFIUS
Last week's proposed rule aimed at broadening the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States' enforcement authority over foreign investments and increasing penalties for violations signals that CFIUS intends to continue expanding its aggressive monitoring of national security issues, say attorneys at Kirkland.
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Climate Disclosure Mandates Demand A Big-Picture Approach
As carbon emissions disclosure requirements from the European Union, California and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission take effect, the best practice for companies is not targeted compliance with a given reporting regime, but rather a comprehensive approach to systems assessment and management, says David Smith at Manatt.
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Playing Hockey Makes Me A Better Lawyer
Nearly a lifetime of playing hockey taught me the importance of avoiding burnout in all aspects of life, and the game ultimately ended up providing me with the balance I needed to maintain success in my legal career, says John Riccione at Taft.
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Illinois EV Charging Act Sparks Developer Concerns
A recent state law in Illinois requiring multifamily housing to provide facilities for electric vehicle charging raises significant concerns for developers over existing infrastructure that isn't up to the task, says Max Kanter at Much Shelist.
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What NAR Settlement Means For Agent Commission Rates
If approved, a joint settlement agreement between the National Association of Realtors and a class of home sellers will likely take the onus off home sellers to compensate buyers' agents, affecting considerations for all parties to real estate transactions, say attorneys at Jones Foster.
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Calif. Banking Brief: All The Notable Legal Updates In Q1
The first quarter of the year brought the usual onslaught of new regulatory developments in California — including a crackdown on junk fees imposed by small business lenders, a big step forward for online notarizations and a ban on predatory listing agreements, says Alex Grigorians at Hanson Bridgett.
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2nd Circ. Ruling Clarifies When Demand Letters Are Claims
The Second Circuit’s decision last week in Pine Management v. Colony Insurance, affirming that an insurer had no obligation to defend an insured for claims made before the policy period, provides clarity on when presuit demands for relief constitute claims — an important issue that may be dispositive of coverage, says Bonnie Thompson at Lavin Rindner.